You’re killing us! Quite literally. The stress caused to those, like myself, who work in a call center is so extreme that many are developing serious stress related illnesses. As annoying or unfair as you may think we are; we are just doing the job assigned to us. It’s already stressful and so you, the callers, can make it easier on us. How? Here are some tips of what to do or not do when you call a call center.
Don’t start off the call by complaining about the hold time:
We are aware that hold times are sometimes ridiculous. We also realize that you have better things to do then to listen to awful music from the 70’s. We get it! Trust me, we do. But realize that people who waste our time complaining about the hold time is part of the reason why the hold time is so long.
We are aware that hold times are sometimes ridiculous. We also realize that you have better things to do then to listen to awful music from the 70’s. We get it! Trust me, we do. But realize that people who waste our time complaining about the hold time is part of the reason why the hold time is so long.
Have all of your information ready:
There are very few things that are more annoying then a customer calling and not having all their information ready. This becomes infuriating when, while you were holding, a prerecorded message plays reminding you to have your information at hand leaving you no excuse to be missing anything. What is more annoying is when you force us to wait for you while you tear your house apart searching for information you should have had in your hand. Do us a favor and if you’re missing something that’s required of you to have, offer to hang up and call back. You should do this because it’s just common courtesy to the C.S.R (Customer Service Representative) as well as other people using the service.
There are very few things that are more annoying then a customer calling and not having all their information ready. This becomes infuriating when, while you were holding, a prerecorded message plays reminding you to have your information at hand leaving you no excuse to be missing anything. What is more annoying is when you force us to wait for you while you tear your house apart searching for information you should have had in your hand. Do us a favor and if you’re missing something that’s required of you to have, offer to hang up and call back. You should do this because it’s just common courtesy to the C.S.R (Customer Service Representative) as well as other people using the service.
Don’t eat on the phone:
This one is simple. I’m sure you’re not a big fan of someone chewing food in your ear. So, that being the case, don’t do it on the phone because it’s essentially the same thing, and it’s certainly just as disgusting.
This one is simple. I’m sure you’re not a big fan of someone chewing food in your ear. So, that being the case, don’t do it on the phone because it’s essentially the same thing, and it’s certainly just as disgusting.
Stop the background noise:
Give the baby a pacifier. Throw the dog outside. Tell your friends to shut up. Turn the television off. All these steps should be taken prior to making a call. We don’t care what your cousin Ronnie said about Sarah over the weekend. We don’t want to hear about who the father is on the episode of Maury playing in the background. And we definitely don’t want to hear your baby and dog crying and barking simultaneously in an orchestra of annoying noises. Please, stop the background sounds before calling.
Give the baby a pacifier. Throw the dog outside. Tell your friends to shut up. Turn the television off. All these steps should be taken prior to making a call. We don’t care what your cousin Ronnie said about Sarah over the weekend. We don’t want to hear about who the father is on the episode of Maury playing in the background. And we definitely don’t want to hear your baby and dog crying and barking simultaneously in an orchestra of annoying noises. Please, stop the background sounds before calling.
Stop talking and listen:
Humans have a true gift; that of speech. However, when misused, this gift of speech can become quite a curse. Such is the way with calls we receive. Unless you are calling the suicide hotline there is really no reason why you should be telling a C.S.R your life story. To be honest we don’t care. When asked simple questions give simple answers, and avoid excessively repeating yourself. Also don’t give more information than requested or talk at a speed that will only result in you having to repeat everything over again. Last but not least, listen and focus on what we are saying so that we don’t have to repeat ourselves a dozen times.
Humans have a true gift; that of speech. However, when misused, this gift of speech can become quite a curse. Such is the way with calls we receive. Unless you are calling the suicide hotline there is really no reason why you should be telling a C.S.R your life story. To be honest we don’t care. When asked simple questions give simple answers, and avoid excessively repeating yourself. Also don’t give more information than requested or talk at a speed that will only result in you having to repeat everything over again. Last but not least, listen and focus on what we are saying so that we don’t have to repeat ourselves a dozen times.
Don’t be a know it all:
If you have never worked at the company that you are calling then please refrain from assuming you know how it runs. Avoid telling the representatives (as if they run the company) how YOU think things should be done. In most cases we agree with you, but remember we just work there. We have about as much power as you do in how things are run so just do what we do and complain to your friends about it and leave us out of it.
If you have never worked at the company that you are calling then please refrain from assuming you know how it runs. Avoid telling the representatives (as if they run the company) how YOU think things should be done. In most cases we agree with you, but remember we just work there. We have about as much power as you do in how things are run so just do what we do and complain to your friends about it and leave us out of it.
These are just a few of many ways that you can make life a little longer and a little easier for us lowly C.S.R’s
Yes. You are so right. I work in customer service for a major retailer and even though our Customers are our #1 Priority, they don't seem to realize that this doesn't obligate us to hear the whole back story of why they are returning an item(s). If I'm confused and not sure about something, I will always ASK for more details, but if I don't, it means: "No problem, I will be happy to give you a refund." But 75% of the time, I go thru something like this: "Well I bought these tops for my grandma, but she complained that they're kind of "itchy" and I'm like 'grandma, they're made of super soft cotton', so then i washed them to show her that they really are soft, but she wasn't convinced---you know she has alzheimer's and nothing I do is right. This is the third time i've been to the store for her this week. I offered to bring her, but No, she likes it when I shop for her---it makes her happy (sort of), but I'm exhausted." I am, of course, sympathetic and really do care, but all I see in front of me is the line piling up, knowing the I will have to listen to more "life stories" before I can get to the other 15 duties that I have behind the service desk counter, (yes, we do in fact have lots of other duties that we have to perform for the store), that I may never get to because I'm constantly being slowed down by people wanting/needing to talk about their lives. It is a sad, sad world when the only people who give someone a listening ear is a complete stranger who works behind the customer service desk. And then my manager will come up----look at the mess behind me and say: "What's going on here. How come these jobs haven't been done yet?' Why such a mess back here?" You try to explain that you're trying to great customer service to your customers and then you hear: "Well, You Need to Manage your Time Better!" So customers: whether you are calling and talking to a C.S.R. or needing to go to a customer desk at a store, please follow the friendly reminders from above! And remember that IF we have to enforce a policy, it is not OUR PERSONAL POLICY---it is THE POLICY of our CORPORATE "HIGHER-UPS"! By ASKING US TO BREAK THE RULES FOR you, you are basically asking us to put our jobs in jeopardy FOR YOU----Is that right and fair????? The above suggestions make it easier to give you exceptional customer service with a sincere A SMILE ON OUR FACE, but also help us to do our jobs more efficiently, which translates to less frustrations on both ends of the phone/customer service counter!!!
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